Aseptic ligating-package



c. n. LUKENS.

ASEPTIC LIGATING PACKAGE.

APPLICATION HLED DEC-4,1916.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920,

3 Cues/vac 0. Azure/Y6 ULARENCE D. LUKENS, OF ST. LU'UIEB', MISEi SURGICAL MANUFACTURING C(llllllilllliili, 013

[DION OF MISSOURI.

Application filed lll ecenibcr 1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, CLARENCE ll L'UKENS, a citizen oil the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Aseptic Ligating-Packages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a prepared aseptic ligating package adapted for use by surgoons in ligating wounds.

ine of the prime conditions of a successiul surgical operation is that the ligature be asepti This requires that the ligature be kept in such a condition that all possibility of contamination, before it reaches the wound, be prevented. Accordingly, the ligature is usually furnished in a sealed tube containing an aseptic solution. il /here, however, the ligature required for certain operations, where many ligatures must be tied, is long, and where the ligature must be entirely removed from the tube, it is not only liable to become tangled, thereby delaying a serious operation, but is also liable to become contaminated before it reaches the wound. It must be remembered that a ligature, after it has been in theaseptic solution for a period, becomes soft and is very easily tangled. Moreover, it is highly desirz ble that kinking 01. the ligature be avoided as much as possible, as this breaks its fibers and reduces its efl'iciency.

Une of the objects oi this invention, there tore, is to provide a prepared aseptic ligating package, which, while it preserves the ligature in a form where its useful qualities will be conserved, at the same time delivers it in such a condition that the ligat ing of the wound is facilitated, and the unused portion maintained aseptic and untangled.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the prepared aseptic ligating package embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the inner ligature carrying tube; and,

Fig. 4: is a view showing the method employed in using the tube for ligating a wound.

lleterring to the accompanying drawing,

Specification of Letters Patent.

.flitllil.

OURI. rlfilEIGhlUlEt TO 0. DE WITT LUIlEENEl LUUIEI, MISSOURI, A CORPORA- iii-"SEPTIC LIlGA'lT'lIlliTG-IPACKAGrllil.

lratented liter. 23, 119F231).

Serial No. 135,001.

1 designates an outer tube, preferably constructed of glass and sealed at both ends. il-iriauiged within this outer tube is an inner tube 9, which shorter than the outer tube, of a diameter to lit loosely within the outer tube, and closed at its bottom, but open at its top. This inner tube has near its open end a small lateral opening 3. Ari-ranged within the inner tube is coiled a ligature 4t oi. fatgut or any other suitable material, which has one free end projecting through opening llfthe projecting end lying between the inner and outer tubes. The outer tube is partially filled with an aseptic solution 5, such as alcohol. Theouter tube is provided near its open end with a ring (3, cut around so that when the ligature is to be used, the tube may be readily broken.

in thepreparation of this package, the ligature after being properly treated to render it sterile, is coiled within the inner tube and the open free end of this ligature is then threzuled through the lateral opening. The inner tube with the ligature therein, is then slipped into the outer tube, care being taken that the end will project a sutlicient distance through the lateral opening, the aseptic solution added and. the open end of the outer tube sealed. The ring may then be cut around the outer tube in the usual manner.

In using this ligatu 'e, the outer tube is broken, turned upside down and the inner tube shaken out. The surgeon will then grasp the inner tube with his left hand, as shown in Fig. 4;, and using the inner tube as a reel, will unwind the ligature as the ligating proceeds, whether he uses the ligature to tie up a wound, or to thread his needles. During the entire ligating process the unused ligature will remain in the tube out of contact with anything which might contaminate it, and the tube can, moreover, be used to obtain a purchase when tying a knot. "On account of the construction of this tube, the waste will be small, the only waste being the short end remaining in the right hand after the knot is cut oil".

It will, therefore, be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects. Not only is there produced a ligature which is convenient to handle during the operation, but it remains aseptic. This is due to the fact that the entire ligature, including the projecting end, is wholly inclosed in a sealed tube, so that the entire ligature will be effectually sealed against contamination. By providing a lateral opening in the inner tube, not only does this inner tube provide a convenient holder for the ligature during the operation, but the projecting end is always held in position where it can be readily grasped and unreeled. By leaving one end of the inner tube open, the ligature can be readily placed in position, without requiring it to be kinked to such an extent as will break its fibers. By leaving the lower end closed, however, the ligature cannot unreel during the operation. It is, of course, necessary to make the inner tube shorter than the outer tube, so that the flame used "for sealing the outer tube will not ruin the ligature.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the spirit of this invention.

It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A prepared aseptic ligating package comprising an outer sealed tube containing an aseptic solution, an inner tube closed at its bottom but open at its top and arranged within said outer tube so as to be removable therefrom upon breaking of said outer tube, said inner tube having a lateral opening near its open end and being adapted to form a ligature reel, and a ligature arranged loosely within said inner tube and wholly within said outer tube and having its end projecting through said opening, adapted to prevent unreeling of said ligature, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature this 29th day of April, 1916.

CLARENCE D. LUK'ENS. 

